Electrical pliers.



FRANCIS L. SPRING, OF TOWNSEND, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRICAL PLIERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 669,556, dated March 12, 1901.

Application filed June 13, 1900. serial No. 20,128. (No model.)

To (1.7.7, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS L. SPRING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Townsend, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Electricians Pliers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tool which has been especially designed for use in installing and connecting electric wires.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, durable, and inexpensive pair of pliers which may be used for cutting and twisting wires together and which is also provided with blad s for, removing or stripping off the insulating'coverings from wires, the pliers being preferably provided with sockets or recesses in the cutting-blades for receiving wires of different diameters.

To this end this invention consists of the electricians pliers and of the combinations of parts therein, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a pair of electricians pliers constructed according to this invention with one of the cutting and one of the slitting blades removed therefrom. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one ofthe slitting-blades, and Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one of the cutting-blades and of the screws for securing the same to one of the jaws of the pliers.

To remove insulating-coverings from wires in order to make a joint or connection, it has heretofore ordinarily been customary to employ an ordinary jackknife to strip said covering to lay the wires bare. This practice of stripping OK the coverings from wires with a knife is objectionable, not only for the reason that unless care is exercised the wires themselves are liable to be cut oif or broken, but also for the reason that the blade of the knife which is used is necessarily dulled or nicked.

The especial object of this invention is therefore to provide a pair of pliers which, in addition to having the ordinary cuttingblades and plier-jaws, is provided with blades for stripping or removing insulating-coverings from wires, said parts being preferably arranged to act upon or strip wires of different gages and being mounted so that the wires themselves cannot be cut into or injured.

As shown herein, a pair of electricians pliers constructed according to this invention comprises the ordinary hinged arms having engaging plier-jaws, mounted in or secured on which are blades for slitting the insulating-coverings from wires and for simultaneously cutting said coverings transversely.

Referring to the drawings and in detail, 10 designates the plier-handles, which are hinged together in the ordinary manner upon a stud or screw 12 and carry the engaging plier-jaws 11. The plier-jaws 11 are preferably recessed, and removably mounted in transverse slots orsockets in the plier-jaws are slitting-blades 13, a plurality of said slitting-blades 13 being preferably mounted in each of the plierjaws 11.

Removably secured on the sides of the plierjaws 11 by means of screws 16 are cut-tingblades 14 and 15. The cutting-blades 14 are provided with engaging cutter-sections 18, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, while the blades 15 each have an opening or recess 17, permitting the blades 14 to be used as ordinary cutnippers When it is desired to cut off or sever a wire. The blades 14 and 15, as herein illustrated, are each provided with sockets or recesses for receiving different gages of wire.

When it is desired to strip a wire or remove the insulating-coverings therefrom with a pair of pliers constructed according to this invention, a socket or recess of the blades 14 and 15 of the required size is selected, and when the wire is clamped therein the slittingblades 13 will slit the insulating-covering longitudinally, while the cutting-blades 14 and 15 will cut the insulating covering transversely, so that by then revolving the pliers around the wire a section of the insulatingcovering will be removed therefrom.

One especial advantage in the use of pliers as thus constructed resides in the fact that the insulating-coverings will be out or severed with clean sharp cuts, so that there will be no frayed-out or raveled ends left extending therefrom.

Where a considerable length of wire is to be left bare or the insulating-coverings removed therefrom, the insulating-coverings may be cut at a number of points along the wire, as thus described, and the pliers then slid or'pushed longitudinally along the wire, so as to strip 0% a considerable section of the insulating-covering at one operation, if desired.

I am aware that numerous changes may be made in the construction of my electricians pliers by those who are skilled in the art without departing from the scope of, my invention as expressed in the claims. I do not Wish, therefore, to be limited to the construction which I have herein shown and described; but.

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. As an article of manufacture, a pair of pliers for removing the insulating-coverings from wires, comprising plier-jaws, a slittingblade carried by said plier-jaws for slitting the insulating-coverings longitudinally, and a cutting-blade carried by said plier-jaws substantially at right angles to the slittingblade, and acting simultaneously therewith to cut the insulating-coverings transversely, substantially as described.

2. As an article of manufacture, a pair of pliers for removing the insulating-coverings from wires comprising plier jaws having blades for slitting the insulating-coverings and simultaneously cutting the same transversely, the cutting-blades being recessed to present wires in proper position to the slitting-blades, and to act as stops or gages for preventing the wires themselves from being cutinto orinjured,substantiallyas described.

3. As an article of manufacture, a pair of pliers for removing the insulating-coverings from wires, slitting-blades removably secured in transverse sockets in the plier-jaws, and recessed blades or plates removably secured on the sides of the jaws, substantially as described.

4. As an article of manufacture, a pair of pliers for removing insulating-coverings from wires having slitting-blades removably secured to the plier-jaws, and plates or blades removably secured to the sides of the plierjaws, one set of said side blades having engaging cutting edges for severing wires, substantially as described.

5. As an article of manufacture, a combination-tool for use as pliers, cut-nippers, or for stripping insulating-coverings from wires, comprising pivoted arms having engaging plier-jaws 11, slitting-blades 13 removably secured in transverse sockets in the plierjaws, and recessed side plates or blades 14 and 15 removably secured on the sides of the plier-jaws 11, the side plates 14 having engaging cutting edges for severing wires, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS L. SPRING.

Witnesses;

UNION S. ADAMS, CLARENCE E. TUPPER. 

